The Cost of Feeding Raw Food To Your Pet

By Marilyn Orillion

Most potential raw feeders ask, “How much will this diet cost?” The answer isn’t simple. If raw feeders buy only prepared, prepackaged raw foods, it is more expensive than preparing it at home. Buying in bulk is considerably cheaper.

The amount of raw meaty bones needed is determined by a dog’s weight and activity level. As a rule of thumb, multiply a dog’s weight by 16. Multiply the result by 2% to get the average amount of raw food needed per day. Of this amount, the majority should be raw meaty bones—60% or more. Some raw feeders use much more. The remainder can be a mixture of raw vegetables, eggs, dairy, fruit and/or organ meat.

A dog that weighs 30 lbs. might eat about 6 oz. or more of raw meaty bones per day. The price of raw meaty bones varies. Chicken necks, backs and wings can be bought in 40 lb. cases at about $.50 per lb. Chicken and turkey are the least expensive. Using an average price of $1/lb., feeding 6 oz. per day costs about $.30. Multiplied by 30 days, this comes to $9/month, on average, for raw meaty bones.

A dog will need raw vegetables, organ meats and some supplements. The cost of vegetables depends on finding “deals.” Buying in bulk from a farmer’s market is more economical. Organ meats (liver, kidney, tripe, heart) are more expensive than most raw meaty bones but less of these are needed. Organ meats can be added to a daily meal or fed as a meal itself. Supplements, initially, are the most expensive aspect of raw feeding. The number of supplements varies from user to user. Some limit supplements to a daily dose of fish oil and a vitamin while others use a whole array of supplements.

9 Responses to The Cost of Feeding Raw Food To Your Pet

Stefanie

December 8, 2008 at 4:24 am

I feed raw to my dogs and am trying to find a more economical way of doing this. I usually pay over $1 a lb for chicken necks at the grocery store. How can I get a case for 50 cents a lb? Is this something I ask for at the butcher? Or is there a checken processing plant in Houston where I can get these?

If anyone knows, please post a comment here also. I will check back.

Thank you.

mmantor

December 8, 2008 at 1:04 pm

Stephanie, I don’t know about buying from grocery stores but you can buy from a local Raw Food Distributor, Bones To Go, and here is the pricing for Chicken necks (I emailed Tracey, the owner, and asked her)
:
she can pre-order them from me by the case (8 X 5lb bags) cost is $4 per 5lb bag or she can order by the fresh case for $25 per 40lb case and she would have to bag them herself (takes about 30 mins or so if she’s quick). They are more expensive if she only needs small amounts (1lb bags available) or 5lb bags but not an entire case ($5.50 per 5lb bag) but she may find other things here she wants to try as well….

I have been going to Fiesta. Sometimes I get whole chickens for .59 a lb. Almost always I can get bags of chicken drumsticks for .59-.69 a lb. I buy beef kidneys for .59 a lb. & pork lard w/ meat for real cheep. Pork neck bones & sometimes theyhave pork steaks for .79 & pork ribs for close to the same.

Dogs arent designed to eat fruits and veggies. There digestive system does not allow them enought time to digest them or there mouth to chew. If you give carrots to your dog, look at his stool. The carrot will be there. They are carnivors so there main diet should be meat. But I read that if you want to give them fruits and veggies, blend them or lightly cook them to soften them up.

I’m no export. Just my opinion.

Mr. Chon chon

August 18, 2011 at 10:29 am

Lol I just realized the comments are from 09….

Anthony Arias

September 9, 2011 at 11:27 pm

It’s alright Mr. Chon there are still people checking this out! I’m assuming you feed your dogs raw? Are you in Houston? Im getting my 6 week old Great Dane next week and I want to start on raw ASAP. any suggestions on where to get some good deals?